Robert Michael Lowry

Ro bert Michael Lowry–a.k.a. "Captain Bob" or "Captain Easy"–passed away peacefully on February 7, 2026, at home on San Juan Island in the care of devoted friends, family, and Hospice of the Northwest. Born 87 years ago in Portland, Bob grew up in Lincoln City on the Oregon coast, where he developed a love for the sea. When he was 18, he enlisted in the Navy and served on the USS Walker (DDE-517) as a machinist. Bob often referred to his four years in the Navy as one of the best and most educational periods of his life. While he was still in the Navy, his first two daughters, Gail and Jo, were born, and not long after his discharge, the third daughter, Sandy, joined the family. Even though they lived at a distance from early childhood on due to the end of his marriage, Bob's love for and pride in his daughters continued throughout his lifetime.

For several years Bob worked as an auto mechanic in Lincoln City and eventually built his own house up Bear Creek near Rose Lodge. Among his favorite pastimes was sailing his Hobie Cat, with which he won several races and achieved the distinction of being "the fastest on the Oregon coast." He also very much enjoyed his motorcycle, riding across Canada and on old logging roads in Oregon. His daughter Gail fondly recalls that "he loved to hike and paid close attention to the majesty in Nature, from bioluminescence in the water to the tiniest mushroom or single flower blossom, to a cougar sitting on a stump. He loved the way the sun changed throughout the day, lighting the sky and the water to illuminate the depth and beauty of the landscape."

In 1978, at the invitation of his best friend since childhood, Hal Gates, Bob spent a memorable summer fishing around Kodiak Island, Alaska. Returning from Alaska and stopping in Friday Harbor, he found the opportunity to buy a Navy whale boat which he rebuilt as a live-aboard and gave an Inuit name­–Amok–after Amook Island, a place that he had grown especially fond of when fishing in Larsen Bay, AK. In due course, Bob sold his Oregon house and began a 47-year island sojourn on San Juan Island aboard the boats he called home. Amok was followed by Brynna–a 36' 1945 Navy hull that Bob painstakingly restored and to which he added a cabin that was evidence of his artistic eye and craftsmanship. He loved working with wood, relishing the feel of it, crafting each piece with care and consideration, forming it to its best and most beautiful use. Bob's talent as a craftsman also became a source of livelihood over the years during which he helped to construct several homes on San Juan Island.

In his later years, Bob continued to actively pursue hands-on projects and to hone his pool-playing skills, as well as to pass countless hours aboard Brynna avidly reading books or learning about a new subject on the internet. He was a life-long learner and was eager to share what he had most recently learned. With an excellent memory for the details of long-ago experiences, he also had a talent for storytelling. A man of strong convictions and high standards, he did not hesitate to express his opinions, without mincing any words. Yet he also had a sense of humor and could make us laugh at his funny quips. Although Bob sometimes came across as a curmudgeon, those who had the privilege of knowing him well recognized his good heart, his generosity, and his genuine concern for the welfare of others. Reflecting on their close friendship that had lasted since the first grade, Hal Gates said that Bob "knew the value and definition of friendship–the loyalty, truth, and honesty of it all."

Bob is deeply loved and greatly missed by friends and family alike. He is survived by his daughters: Gail Lowry Murphy of Vashon, WA; Jo Murphy of Kodiak, AK; and Sandy Pherson of Wasilla, AK, as well as by nine grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren. He also leaves his island "family": Karen and Gerard Woldtvedt, along with their son David and daughter Brynn, who have known Bob since infancy and to whom he has been like an uncle.

A Celebration of Bob's Life is being planned for a later date at the family home.

Please share your memories at his online memorial site at Evans Funeral Chapel of Anacortes, WA. Bookmark this link: www.evanschapel.com/obituary/bob-lowry to check for updates and for future visits.